2 Day Fimmvorduhals Trek - from Skogar to Thorsmork

The Fimmvorduhals trail, from Skogar to Thorsmork, should be on every hiker's bucket list. Experience amazing and breathtaking landscapes with numerous waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, volcano craters and an overall exciting and challenging hiking trail. Spend two days of your trip to Iceland exploring the absolute highlights of the Icelandic volcanic highlands.

Fimmvörðuháls Trek

Hiking from Skógar to Þórsmörk & Þórsmörk Valley

One of Iceland’s most beautiful trails. The vista is otherworldly as we make our way across the famous Fimmvörðuháls trail from Skógar to Þórsmörk. The journey starts at the beautiful Skógafoss waterfall as we make our way up the right side of the waterfall and follow the stream giving us a view of about twenty other stunning waterfalls. The first part of the trail is the steepest when we are reaching high up to the highlands, only to be greeted by glacier and volcano views. We are hiking in the foothills of Mýrdalsjökull glacier and the landscape surrounding it is just magical, snowy fields, lava terrain and moss.

Quickly, we will start to see the magical new lava field, Goðahraun, formed in the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010. When making our way across the Morinsheiði heath we will see endless marks from the eruption, the highlight being the two new volcanic craters Magni and Móði which are still to this day warm if you only dig a little into the ash.

The day is filled with constants adventures and endless 360°mountain, glacier and volcano views. The terrain is never the same the exciting mountain ridges Kattarhryggir and Heljarkambur, which add a lot to the experience.

The Fimmvörðuháls trail takes you to the fertile Þórsmörk Valley where we will stay the night in a cozy mountain hut. There we will enjoy a local feast of Icelandic lamb BBQ. The next morning we have Þórsmörk as our playfields. This green oasis is known as a hiker's paradise and our options are endless. The surrounding mountains, Valahnúkur, Útigönguhöfði, the canyon Strákagil and the Elf church are amongst the options we have for this venture day ahead and we will make the most of it before heading back to Reykjavík in the afternoon.

Day 1 - Skógar - ÞórsmörkThe hike starts east of the famous Skógafoss when we go up about 400 steps that have been made for people to enjoy the powerful fall. When we have made it up it's good to take a break to enjoy the of the waterfall from this perspective. The trail will take you up Skógaheiði a mountain road where numerous waterfalls will greet you.The steepest part of the trail is at the beginning of the trail, about 586 meters.Now we are on to the river crossing part of the trail but luckily for us these ice cold glacier rivers have been bridged. At this part of the trail you are very likely to have to hike in some snow, this is due to the height we are at this point. The snow rarely melts completely even during the warmest summer months.At this point we will add to the height a little bit to get up to the famous eruption site, where the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption started in 2010. First we will get to Goðahraun lava field one of the newest lava fields in Iceland formed in the 2010 eruption. During this historic eruption two new volcanic craters were formed and you will get a chance to visit them. These craters which are still warm today got the names Magni and Móði which are the names of the pagan gods Thor sons. They are extremely colorful and interesting.Next up is the steep hill of Brattafönn and the stunning mountain ridge, Heljarkambur. This is for many the most challenging part of the trail but Mother Nature has sculptured the trail in recent years making it less steep. Chains have also been places along the ridge to help people get across. When we have made it across Heljarkambur we are on to Morinsheiði a pretty straight heath from now on. Quickly you will start to see over Þórsmörk. The fertile oasis is our final stop for the day as we make our way down through the birch forest. The views are like no other and this is a welcome sight after the rugged landscape behind.The second mountain ridge on the way to Þórsmörk is the famous Kattarhryggur e. Cat Spine. The views from the ridge are heavenly as you see over both Strákagil canyon and Básar in Goðaland. When we start to descend it is good to remember to zig zag to put less pressure on your knees. The night is spent in a mountain hut at Básar in Þórsmörk. There we will feast on an Icelandic BBQ and enjoy each other's company while reminiscing over today's beautiful adventures.

Day 2 - Þórsmörk - ReykjavíkWe wake up in the beautiful surroundings inside the valley of Thor and join for breakfast. The meal is a group effort. The adventures of the day all depend on the groups appetite. The surrounding mountains are perfect for one or multiple hikes and some like to explore canyons. Together we set up a plan for the day to make the absolute most of our time in this magical place. The mountain top views are otherworldly and the hikes are relatively easy.

The mountains are for example Valahnúkur known for a 360°view of the mountains, glaciers and volcanoes surrounding the area and it’s rugged lava sculpture even though it’s only about 220 m tall. Another popular trail is Útgönguhöfði rising about 540 m up from the valley.

In the afternoon we start to make our way back to Reykjavík. We drive across a few rivers, only adding to the adventures. Alluring canyons all around and the magnifiscent landscapes are a real treat when driving out of the valley, the route really is a scenic one, enjoy the ride.

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Welcome to Trek Iceland

Trek Iceland is a fully licensed tour operator based in Reykjavik, Iceland. We specialize in trekking and hiking tours in the remote highlands as well as various places around Iceland. We have a great selection of tours at all levels of ability and duration including short and long hiking day tours, multi day trekking tours, Laugavegur tours and Landmannalaugar tours.

Our team of experienced guides ensure you enjoy your journey to the fullest and keep you safe while exploring the incredible hiking and trekking trails in Iceland.

TREK Iceland is a part of the Arctic Adventures family. Together we can provide you with great variety when it comes to adventures and exploration in Iceland. Our tours range from glaciers to snorkeling and almost anything in between. Feel free to contact us if there is any information you are lacking, we are always more than happy to help!